Adaptive control of heterogeneous ad hoc networks

Heterogeneous ad hoc networks are proposed as a solution to the scalability problem in pure ad hoc networks. Some of the links in such a network have much longer wireless transmission ranges (at least in some of their channels) than the other links. Simple systems approaches are studied for adaptive operation and performance optimization of such networks. Our study includes the following: use of very simple functions of observed performance for adaptive control; an example of an operational constraint imposed by a higher layer in the network. Traffic to a destination can be multiplexed over either long range links or over short range links, but not both; and multiple criteria fuzzy decision making. Some of our approaches are illustrated with simulation experiments on a heterogeneous ad-hoc network fielding synthetic self-similar (bursty) traffic.